The destination for history
Aviation
There is something for everyone on our extensive aviation list. Aeroplane enthusiasts will enjoy our studies of the history of flight, ground-breaking technical developments and the impact of great designers such as R.J. Mitchell on the wider world of aviation. Explore civil aircraft from Trident to Airbus, delve into the careers of the engineers who built the iconic Concorde, and marvel at the memoirs of the stewards and stewardesses who flew on her.
Those with a love of military history can immerse themselves in the roles played by pilots and test pilots at war and in peacetime, whether testing Tornadoes, flying Spitfires and Hurricanes in the Battle of Britain or manning low-level English-Electric Canberras on the Cold War front line. Thrill-seekers will be gripped by the exploits of air pioneers, from the brave pilots of First World War biplanes or the Schneider Trophy races of the early twentieth century, to the dramatic flying displays of the Red Arrows today. Plus, anyone interested in unusual facts and quirky statistics will delight in compilations of strange aircraft, airline scandals and spine-tingling tales of UFOs.
Learn more about aviation history
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What’s it like on the edge of space? The life of a Concorde pilot
John Tye, Concorde pilot, tells us about life aboard the Concorde
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The exciting history of aviation: Manchester or Bust
Two pilots race for glory in Manchester to take home the Daily Mail aviation prize
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Flying a De Havilland 4 in World War I
Memoirs of a De Havilland pilot in the early days of the RAF in France in WWI
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Concorde: An icon in the news
A look at both the supersonic airplane and its people
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Alcock and Brown: First to fly the Atlantic non-stop
In June 1919 two men from Manchester made aviation history
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The RAF and Imperial War Museums
The Royal Air Force has a remarkable place within the collections and history of IWM
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The showgirl and the Schneider trophy
How a former showgirl helped Britain win the Schneider Trophy
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The first flight of the Gloster Meteor
75 years ago the first British jet fighter took to the skies
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The captured RAF Chaplain-in-Chief’s cross
An object that offers a poignant reminder of difficult times during World War II
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Amelia Earhart and Neta Snook: Pioneering aviators
A brief look at the life of Amelia Earhart, pioneering American aviator
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A view from the RAF front line during the Cold War
Life lessons for an RAF pilot during the cold war
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Flying for the RAF: Bizarre incidents
George Culling has collected tales of the bizarre incidents that happened to air crew during WW2
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Aviation landmarks of Norfolk and Suffolk
Remains of East Anglia’s wartime heritage
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Zeppelin Hindenburg, transatlantic workhorse
Some things you may not know about Zeppelin Hindenburg
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The end of an era for Laker Airways
Charles Woodley tells of the events leading up to the demise of Laker Airways in 1982
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Concorde: Flying hotel to pocket rocket
The supersonic world of a concorde stewardess
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The Spitfire: R.J. Mitchell’s radical design development
How 1935’s iconic Spitfire was born
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The maiden flight of Zeppelin Hindenburg
Zeppelin Hindenburg’s maiden flight took place on 4 March 1936
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The nose art of the Lancaster bomber
Lancaster bombers were decorated with nicknames, slogans and mascots in World War II
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The enduring appeal of hot air balloons
The spectacle of ballooning
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Concorde chronology
A timeline of Concorde’s supersonic story
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Captain Eric ‘Winkle’ Brown & the gateway to supersonic flight
The top secret Miles M.52 supersonic research aircraft project
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The R34 airship
The first aircraft to make an east to west transatlantic flight
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Gatwick Airport: The first fifty years
A history of Gatwick Airport
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Trials and errors: Experimental test flying in the 1970s
In the 1970s, the RAF underwent a significant programme of Research and Development
